Transmigrating Behind the Mirror to Become Her Guardian Lady - Chapter 32

The butler took a step forward, respectfully presenting the bracelet.

Lifting his eyes to look over, the bracelet appeared translucent and moist, clear and pure, gleaming with a soft, gentle luster under the faint evening light. One could tell at a single glance that it was no ordinary piece; it was precisely his mother’s relic.

Jiang Ming let out a sigh of relief. Taking the bracelet from the butler’s hand, he asked in a deep voice, “Where exactly was the item found?”

Upon hearing his voice, the butler lifted his head slightly, subconsciously casting a sweeping glance over the large group of servants standing in the hall. “It was in the servants’ quarters, Third Master.” After a brief pause, he added, “The female servants’ quarters.”

The moment this answer was delivered, the servants gathered in the main hall were thoroughly shocked, unable to stop themselves from leaning in close and whispering to one another. The room filled with a low, buzzing murmur, and the scene became somewhat chaotic for a time.

Even the members of the Jiang family seated on the sofas were astonished.

Liu Yi was utterly bewildered, to the point where she could barely maintain her composure, her heart completely flooded with shock and panic. How on earth could the bracelet have ended up there! She had clearly instructed someone to place it inside Jiang Weilu’s room! Exactly what kind of accident had occurred? Could that female servant have betrayed me? Whose place was the bracelet actually discovered in?

The questions in her heart were very quickly answered. In the next second, Jiang Ming’s voice rang out through the grand hall, strict and cold, instantly drowning out everyone else’s discussions.

“Who is it?”

The butler’s gaze drifted toward the group of female servants, who were currently filled with immense surprise, before quickly withdrawing his eyes. “Based on the name tags attached to the beds, her name is A (A-Jing). It was searched out from within the gap of her bed boards.”

A-Jing?

The unfamiliar name entering their ears left everyone briefly dazed for a moment, and they subconsciously began to check the name badges on the people standing beside them. Among them, there were naturally those who knew the owner of this name, and their eyes instantly locked onto A-Jing with absolute shock.

Standing within the crowd, the girl named A-Jing was briefly stunned the exact moment she heard her name. She failed to realize that they were referring to her, standing there blankly for a good while. It was only when the people who knew her turned their astonished gazes toward her that she finally reacted. Ah, so they were talking about me.

In the very next instant, her face turned stark white, and cold sweat broke out uncontrollably. What kind of joke was this! How could the bracelet possibly be in her possession! That was completely impossible! Yesterday, she had personally placed the item inside the Eldest Miss’s room with her own hands!

Even Jiang Weilu was highly curious about exactly what kind of person this A-Jing was, to have caused her sister to conceal the item with her. Consequently, following everyone’s gazes to steal a look, she nearly laughed out loud. This A-Jing happened to be the exact same servant who had stepped forward to testify against her just moments ago.

Jiang Weilu subconsciously lifted her head to look at Shu Mengli, who was standing before her with her arms crossed, observing the hall. Her eyes were faintly laced with a smile. Was Sister avenging her? How could she be so good, spoiling her to this extent! It made a person unable to restrain themselves from constantly wanting to act spoiled before her, craving her tenderness.

Perhaps the child’s gaze was far too scorching, because Shu Mengli, standing beside her, faintly sensed something and turned her head to look back. She plunged straight into the starry eyes the child was directing her way.

Seated on the sofa, the wealthy family’s eldest young lady cut an elegant figure. She had currently begun to take on the form of an exquisite young teen, her aura carrying a noble and dignified grace. But when Shu Mengli looked down into her eyes, she couldn’t help but be drawn in by the absolute focus within her gaze. In a daze, it felt exactly as if Jiang Weilu’s eyes could only see her alone as if she were her entire world.

Shu Mengli’s soft red lips curved slightly, a smile painting her face. Looking at Jiang Weilu, she closed her left eye and gave the young girl a playful wink.

The sister, who was usually steady and gentle, suddenly executed such a movement. It was slightly different from her usual style, appearing thoroughly charming and adorable, leaving Jiang Weilu briefly stunned. Following that, a brilliant radiance suddenly burst forth within her beautiful peach-blossom eyes, looking as though she had gathered the stars filling the sky into her eyes. The corners of her lips curved upward, unable to contain a massive smile.

But clearly, given the current atmosphere in the small Jiang estate’s living room, it was highly unsuitable to display such emotions. Jiang Weilu lowered her head, placing her small fist by her lips as she let out a light cough to steady her emotions, before lifting her head once more. Only this time, she didn’t quite dare to look at her sister again.

However, the atmosphere within the living room was by no means as pleasant as the interaction between these two.

At this moment, A-Jing stood within the crowd, growing increasingly panicked. The gazes everyone directed her way felt like needles piercing her body, sharp enough to cause agonizing pain. A-Jing’s composure completely collapsed all at once, and she spoke in a panic.

“No, it wasn’t me! I didn’t take it!”

Jiang Ming tucked the bracelet securely away. Looking at A-Jing, who was on the verge of collapsing within the crowd, his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. “To think it was actually discovered with you. A few hours ago, you were the one who stepped out to testify against Lulu, weren’t you? What exactly were you trying to do? Divert the trouble onto someone else? Treating the Jiang family like fools, did you truly believe we wouldn’t be able to find you!”

The final reprimand was sharp and laced with hidden fury, startling the already helpless A-Jing. “No, that’s not it, Third Master! It really wasn’t me!”

As she spoke, her gaze subconsciously darted toward Liu Yi, who was seated on the sofa. But to her disappointment, at this moment, Liu Yi herself hadn’t figured out exactly what had transpired, entirely at a loss as to why the trap she had meticulously set up would turn out this way. Detecting A-Jing’s incoming gaze, she immediately shifted her eyes away.

Seeing her behavior, A-Jing’s heart instantly turned half-cold. If she botched this assignment, would the Madame truly protect her? But she had no choice but to protect her! After all, she still held her secrets. Moreover, as for why the bracelet would appear in her quarters, she truly had no idea!

Thus, A-Jing bit her teeth, forcing herself to calm down. “Third Master, please investigate clearly; it really wasn’t my doing! If it were me, how could I have been so reckless as to hide the object right by my side? If that were the case, wouldn’t it be discovered the moment a search was conducted?”

“I stepped forward to testify against the Eldest Miss, and when it wasn’t found within her room, wouldn’t a household-wide search inevitably follow next? A search like that would instantly uncover me, so why on earth would I do such a thing?”

This turn of phrase was actually structured with logic and evidence, carrying a few grains of conviction. Seated on the sofa, Liu Yi let out a sigh of relief. Right now, she no longer sought to crush Jiang Weilu; as long as the things she had done didn’t come to light, it would be enough.

However, how could Jiang Weilu possibly let her have her way?

Hearing A-Jing’s defense, the girl seated on the sofa let out a soft laugh. “What you say makes a lot of sense, textually. But why was the bracelet searched out from your quarters then? Could someone have framed you?”

Hearing her words, A-Jing lifted her head to look at Jiang Weilu seated there. Biting her teeth, she plucked up her courage to respond, “Who… who can say for sure! I voiced what I witnessed regarding the Eldest Miss last night, yet the item ended up being discovered with me. Isn’t this far too coincidental?”

Those words were exceptionally obvious, clearly suspecting that this was a frame-up executed by Jiang Weilu. Hearing this, Jiang Weilu shook her head and smiled.

“Are you implying that I am framing you? I went to such immense trouble—stealing Grandma’s relic, placing it with you, and creating such a massive ruckus—just to frame you?” Subsequently, she let out a scoff. “As if you’re worth it.”

A key costs three yuan; how many keys do you think you’re worthy of matching?

Two simple words carried boundless disdain, coming just short of pointing straight at A-Jing’s nose to ask: What kind of entity do you think you are to deserve such an elaborate scheme from me? A-Jing’s face turned green all at once.

To her surprise, Jiang Weilu spoke once more at this moment. “Could it be that it truly was your doing? Perhaps you have an accomplice? Maybe you could first testify against me to draw everyone’s attention over to my side, and then your accomplice could spirit the item away? But as for why your accomplice failed to help you, I wouldn’t know.”

The word “accomplice” entering her ears startled A-Jing, and she subconsciously stole a glance at Liu Yi before immediately withdrawing her eyes.

Jiang Weilu tapped her chin, adopting an innocent appearance, looking somewhat unable to comprehend it. Subsequently, she simply stopped thinking about it and smiled. “Oh well, I was merely guessing wildly. Who knows? At any rate, the bracelet is currently with you, so you cannot untangle yourself from this responsibility. Don’t you agree, Auntie Liu?”

Jiang Weilu’s sudden call startled Liu Yi. Snapping back to her senses, she nodded her head haphazardly. Subsequently, Liu Yi took a deep breath, looking toward Jiang Ming. “A-Ming, rest assured. With such a severe incident occurring this time, I will immediately set to work on an investigation. Three days—no, two days! I will hand the results over to you within two days!”

As long as the matter was handed over to her, she could fabricate a flawless rationale to smooth over this incident. Worst case scenario, she could simply give this servant a sum of money afterward and have her stay far away from the Jiang family, ensuring no one would ever find out about this matter.

Jiang Ming’s fingers curved slightly, lightly tapping against the sofa armrest. While the people in the room were trading accusations and attacking one another, he merely sat there quietly witnessing it. It wasn’t until Liu Yi addressed him directly that he let out a scoff and looked over.

“Hand it over to you? Are you joking? This kind of incident isn’t occurring for the first time, is it, Liu Yi? Do you think I would still trust you?” After delivering those words, he withdrew his gaze from Liu Yi, his voice turning cold as he instructed, “There is no need for you to investigate. Regardless of the circumstances, the item was found with her. Deliver her straight to the police station and have them thoroughly investigate this matter clearly.”

Following that, he added, stressing every single word: “From the absolute beginning when the item went missing, to the process of recovering it, I want to know everything with absolute clarity, without missing a single detail.”

Thump. Liu Yi’s heart shuddered, and the gaze she directed toward Jiang Ming was completely filled with disbelief. How could it be like this, how could it be like this! Jiang Ming wasn’t like this in the past; he never used to care about items going missing within the Jiang family, so why did he suddenly this time…

No, she couldn’t let A-Jing go to the police station! If they investigated from the absolute beginning of the incident, wouldn’t they discover that it was she who had initially instructed A-Jing to frame Jiang Weilu? If the Jiang family truly set their minds to investigating a matter, how could they possibly fail to uncover it?

Or perhaps she should simply push all the responsibility onto A-Jing, directly slandering her for stealing the item, which would at least clear herself. But thinking it through, preventing Jiang Ming from reporting it to the police and handling the matter herself remained the safest option.

Thinking up to this point, Liu Yi hurriedly opened her mouth, wanting to persuade Jiang Ming to rescind his thought. To her surprise, right at this moment, A-Jing standing there suddenly voiced out.

“Third Master! The bracelet truly wasn’t stolen by me!” Subsequently, gritting her teeth, she looked toward Liu Yi seated there and pointed a finger at her. “It was the Madame! It was the Madame who handed the bracelet to me, instructing me to place it inside the Eldest Miss’s room, and then step forward to testify that the Eldest Miss had returned late last night, letting me slander the Eldest Miss! Third Master, I truly did not steal the bracelet! As for why the bracelet appeared in my quarters, I truly have no idea!”

A-Jing wasn’t a foolish person either. The moment she heard that the bracelet had been discovered with her, she faintly sensed that she was finished. When she heard Jiang Ming state that he wanted to investigate the entire beginning and end of the matter clearly, her vision turned pitch black. If the Jiang family was determined to investigate a matter, how could they fail to uncover it? Even with the Madame blocking things in the middle, it would be useless.

Furthermore, who could say if the Madame would simply push all the responsibility onto her to protect herself, even slandering her for stealing the item! Weighing it in her mind, it was actually better for her to state the entire sequence of events first to redeem herself through her testimony. At the very least, this way, she was merely an individual acting under instructions, and everything else had nothing to do with her. Furthermore, stating it early herself was always better than having it uncovered through an investigation, and she wouldn’t have to bear the risk of being slandered by the Madame.

A-Jing was quite a ruthless individual; with this thought, a resolution formed instantly within her heart. Stepping forward, she executed a total betrayal, her words piercing Liu Yi completely off guard.

The moment A-Jing’s words were delivered, the people in the room were shocked to the point of being nearly unable to speak. Liu Yi nearly leaped off the sofa, her panic causing her voice to turn sharp. “Stop spurting blood at people! Butler, hurry up and drag her out!”

In contrast, A-Jing, who had resolved to turn against her, calmed down at this moment. She took a deep breath. “As for the matters I spoke of, Third Master only needs to conduct a brief check to know. As for why the bracelet appeared in my quarters, I am truly unaware; I was merely acting under the Madame’s instructions.”

Liu Yi was dizzy with rage, beginning to ramble incoherently. “Perhaps it was you who stole the item, and seeing your actions come to light, you began to randomly bite at people!”

A-Jing lifted her head to look at her. “Whether I stole it or not, Third Master only needs to check to know!”

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Jiang Weilu leaned back against the sofa, her posture relaxing slightly. By this time, the bracelet incident had completely ceased to have anything to do with her. She had no fear of any subsequent investigations either. After all, except for herself, no one in this world could see her sister, and no one would ever know how the bracelet had appeared with A-Jing.

Her gaze coolly watched the two individuals before her arguing until their faces were flushed crimson, merely feeling that this farce of dog-eating-dog was exceptionally brilliant.

Look. The feeling of being slandered out of thin air isn’t pleasant, is it?

Jiang Ming was thoroughly given a headache by the shouting match between the two. Glancing at the ring of servants standing nearby, who kept their heads lowered, not daring to witness this scene, the veins on his temples throbbed violently. He felt that both his inner and outer face had been completely lost.

He slapped his hand down onto the table, producing a massive crash. “Shut up!” Subsequently, he looked toward Liu Yi, gritting his teeth. “To think you truly have the audacity! As expected of someone from a impoverished background, you can never be brought to a dignified presentation.”

The moment the word “impoverished” came out, it felt like a sharp knife piercing into Liu Yi’s chest, causing her face to instantly turn stark white. All these years, what she feared most was others mentioning her background, which was precisely the reason she had broken her head trying to climb upward.

Hearing this, Jiang Weilu arched her brows. This was the first time she had ever heard such a phrasing; regarding Liu Yi’s background, she had never known anything about it. Within this, there seemed to be some secrets.

But there was no time for her to explore it right now. Watching the increasingly chaotic scene within the grand hall, Jiang Weilu secretly curved a smile. This scene wasn’t chaotic enough; she needed to add another log to the fire.

Thus, she opened her mouth, speaking softly toward Jiang Ming. “Father, Auntie Liu is always the one losing things in this house. But witnessing today’s scene, I suddenly recall that I have lost an item as well.”

Jiang Ming took a deep breath, turning his head to look over. Just as one was found, you’ve gone and lost another. “What did you lose?”

Jiang Weilu’s gaze was cool, and she spoke at an unhurried pace. “You should still remember that time when I saved Grandpa Li, and he gifted me a jade pendant, right?”

“Mhm… continue.”

Jiang Weilu lifted her head. “That’s right, my jade pendant is missing.”

Jiang Yuxi, who had been sitting to the side unable to interject a single word all this time, gasped a breath of cold air. She had never imagined that she would be dragged down into the water at this exact moment, her face turning instantly white as chalk.

Shu Mengli truly hadn’t known about the jade pendant incident, but that didn’t hinder her from enjoying the show. Standing beside Jiang Weilu with her arms crossed, she looked at the individuals in the room whose faces were as white as freshly painted walls, merely finding it hilarious.

Once Jiang Yuxi reacted, she proved to be far less steady than her mother, her tone completely filled with panic. “Per… perhaps you lost it yourself!”

Liu Yi’s heart turned completely cold. She knew her own child’s character; the jade pendant was undoubtedly taken by her, there was no escaping it.

Jiang Weilu’s words validated her thought. Hearing Jiang Yuxi’s voice, the girl turned her head to look at her, letting out a soft laugh. “But I happen to know exactly where it was lost. Do you know, Sister Xixi?”

Ten minutes later.

Looking at the jade pendant searched out from Jiang Yuxi’s room, Jiang Ming was furious enough to nearly pass out. He sat there to steady his emotions, before standing up, walking before Liu Yi, his gaze deadly cold.

Slap!

A full-force slap sent Liu Yi’s face snapping to the side, a bright red handprint surfacing immediately. Jiang Yuxi was terrified to the point of crying, immediately throwing herself onto her mother’s body, wanting to protect her.

Seeing her behavior, Jiang Ming’s fury flared even higher. “Neither of you is a good piece of work! Mother and daughter, a whole nest of wicked entities! In the past, I always believed it was Lulu who was undisciplined and disobedient; looking at it now, who knows who the truly malicious ones are!”

“You!” Jiang Ming extended a finger to point at Jiang Yuxi. “It seems a single round of family discipline wasn’t enough to make you behave. Go kneel over to the side for me!”

“And you!” Jiang Ming turned his head to look back at Liu Yi. “Once I uncover the absolute truth of the matter, you just wait for me!”

The master of the house being in a towering rage caused everyone in the room to lower their heads; no one dared open their mouth to cross Jiang Ming’s temper.

Only Jiang Weilu dared to speak out at this moment. Standing to the side, her face bore no expression as she witnessed this farce play out before her. Watching her stepmother, who had slandered her for years, finally come to light, she felt neither excitement nor gratification, only a flat calmness.

She lifted her head to look at Jiang Ming. “Father, perhaps you won’t believe it, but have you ever suspected that in reality, I have never once stolen an item? Do you still remember three years ago? Back then, Auntie Liu’s actions had already come to light once, hadn’t they?”

Hearing her voice, Jiang Ming turned his head back. The gaze he directed toward Jiang Weilu was somewhat complex. He remained silent for a long while, before finally pursing his lips. “I understand. Take your Grandpa Li’s jade pendant and go upstairs. Don’t lose it again this time.”

Jiang Weilu gave a nod. “Understood, Father.”

Clack, clack, clack.

With steady steps, Jiang Weilu walked up the stairs. The entanglements downstairs were still ongoing, but they no longer had any connection to her.

Jiang Weilu calmly stepped into her room, quietly locking the door behind her. Letting out a sigh of relief, a smile immediately broke out across her face. She threw herself forward all at once, landing directly onto the person whom only she in this entire world could see.

Her small voice was sweet. “Sister! Thank you, Sister, for helping me today!”

Shu Mengli had just walked up the stairs and into the room, barely standing still when she was caught in a full embrace by the child. After her brief surprise passed, she couldn’t restrain a laugh, wrapping her arms tightly around Jiang Weilu. “Be careful, don’t fall.” Subsequently, she reached out to stroke the soft crown of the adorable child’s hair. “Furthermore, isn’t it only natural for Sister to help you?”

“Even so, I still ought to thank Sister!” Jiang Weilu held Shu Mengli even tighter, her small head lightly snuggling against Shu Mengli’s chest, speaking with a beaming smile. “Even if Sister is my exclusive guardian angel, I still need to thank Sister.”

Hearing the words “guardian angel,” Shu Mengli couldn’t help but choke slightly. But she quickly adjusted her state, looking down at Jiang Weilu, stroking the head of the adorable child hugging her as she acted spoiled, and voiced the question that had puzzled her all afternoon. “Lulu, what was that jade pendant incident about?”

Hearing this question, Jiang Weilu slightly loosened her arms holding Shu Mengli, lifting her eyes to look at her sister as she explained, “That, ah. That was gifted to me by Grandpa Li when he first met me at the Jiang estate three years ago. Then Jiang Yuxi came over to snatch it out of jealousy, so I intentionally let her take it away, thinking it would likely come in handy in the future.” After speaking, Jiang Weilu let out a sigh. “If Sister hadn’t been here today, this matter truly would have been difficult to handle; in that scenario, I could only have used this matter to drag Jiang Yuxi down into the water with me.”

A maximum one-for-one exchange, where no one would get off easy. But fortunately, her sister was here this time, allowing her to strike back against the past incidents completely unscathed.

Jiang Weilu’s narrative was flat, but it caused a wave of heartache to swell within Shu Mengli’s chest. During the times she wasn’t around, exactly how much bullying had her Lulu suffered? Fortunately, they had successfully defended against it this time, delivering a massive blow to Liu Yi and Jiang Yuxi, making it highly difficult for them to create trouble again.

Still, Shu Mengli felt immense heartache for Jiang Weilu, reaching out to hold her a bit tighter. “It’s been hard on our Lulu.”

“It hasn’t been hard,” Jiang Weilu shook her head. “The moment I see Sister, I become instantly happy! In contrast, it’s Sister who must be completely exhausted after finding the bracelet in such a short amount of time and stuffing it over to that female servant.”

“It was alright,” Shu Mengli shook her head, responding this way. But in reality, at that moment, she had truly run her legs off!

In the beginning, she had merely thought to toss it into any random spot. But lowering her head to inspect the living room, her eyes had caught the name tag on A-Jing’s chest completely by chance. Subsequently, recalling that for ease of management, the Jiang family attached names to every servant’s items—naturally including their beds—a flash of inspiration struck her. Since it was being tossed anyway, why not hide it within A-Jing’s bed, to see what kind of theatrical effect would be triggered once it was searched out? She hadn’t expected that it would truly allow her to witness such an excellent show.

Hearing her sister’s response, Jiang Weilu pulled away from Shu Mengli’s embrace. “Then I truly ought to thank Sister for helping me! Sister, Sister, come over here!” As she spoke, she withdrew completely from Shu Mengli’s embrace, her large eyes flashing with an excited light, grasping Shu Mengli’s hand to lead her toward the bed.

Shu Mengli briefly failed to comprehend what the child wanted to do, but she still let her lead her along, smiling dotingly. “What are you trying to do?”

Very quickly reaching the edge of the bed, Jiang Weilu extended her hands to press Shu Mengli down onto the mattress. “I want to repay Sister, ah. Let me give Sister a massage to soothe your fatigue.”

Hearing this, Shu Mengli burst out laughing, turning her head to look at Jiang Weilu. “Oh, there’s no need, ah. You must have been frightened this morning as well, right? Hurry up and sit down to rest a bit.”

To her surprise, the usually compliant girl didn’t listen to her this time. Jiang Weilu extended her hands to straighten her sister’s body, then gently pulled the overcoat on Shu Mengli’s shoulders halfway down, revealing her shoulders covered by a soft camisole lining. Subsequently, her slightly warm small hands pressed over them, lightly kneading and massaging.

Hah!

A crisp, tingling sensation radiated from her shoulders, causing Shu Mengli’s eyes to widen slightly. Not going to lie, it truly felt quite comfortable. “Lulu, how did you learn to do this?”

Hearing her sister’s inquiry, Jiang Weilu let out a proud smile. “I learned this from Grandpa Butler. After mastering it, I’ve consistently wanted to let Sister try it, ah. It’s truly wonderful that Sister likes it.”

Learned. An active word.

It appeared the child had actively approached the old butler gentleman to learn it, and looking at the presentation, it was specifically for her. To please her, the young girl had truly put a great deal of effort into her actions.

Shu Mengli shook her head with a helpless soft laugh, reaching up to grasp Jiang Weilu’s fingertips resting on her shoulders. “Lulu, you don’t need to be like this. I’ve said it before, as long as you are happy, I am happy, ah.”

Hearing this, Jiang Weilu halted her movements, pouting her lips. “But I want Sister to be happy too, ah. Sister, you don’t give me any chance to show it.”

Hearing her words, Shu Mengli turned her head to the side, her hand resting over the back of Jiang Weilu’s hand, which was draped lightly over her shoulder. Her expression was helpless, and she was just about to say something.

Yet precisely at this exact moment, an accident occurred.

First, she heard the child’s surprised exclamation.

“Ah! Sister!”

Shu Mengli was startled, hurriedly about to ask what had happened. But upon lifting her eyes, she first caught sight of the gaze Jiang Weilu was directing her way, completely filled with panic. Subsequently, involuntarily, she followed her gaze down to look at herself.

In the next second, she covered her mouth in utter astonishment.